Ombré, frost and ‘fairy dust’: How to achieve the new French manicure

When it comes to beautiful nails, who better to reference than the ever-dazzling Jennifer Lopez and her recent eye-catching manicure? She proves the glazed doughnut trend lives on with the French ombré manicure – and it was the perfect accessory for the neon-yellow skirt and iridescent top that she wore to accompany husband Ben Affleck on the red carpet for the premiere of his new film, Air. Lopez’s main manicure man is Tom Bachik who created these “micro-French fantasy” nails that are a re-imagining of the original ’90s French manicure.

In its heyday, the French manicure was defined by the slimmest white tip, painstakingly applied. Then the entire nail was painted with a pinky nude or pale white-base polish. This new version features long nails with a super-frosty finish and a little sprinkle of “fairy dust”.

As the finishing touch, Bachik applied “a shimmery, iridescent chrome to create depth”. He used one coat of Aprés Baby’s Breath, a sheer milky white, for the base and “created the micro-French using a white liner gel by Jenny Secret to outline the tip and silhouette the nail”.

This French ombré trend and its permutations have garnered more than six million views on TikTok. To create this finish, try O.P.I’s Nature Strong: Glowing Places ($24), a chrome-topped shade.

If you are feeling blingy, nail accents such as rhinestones and glitter are also fun – it could be a reverse French manicure with a line of glitter nestled next to the cuticle, or a crystal dotted on each nail.

For a complete 360, the original barely-there French manicure, with ultra-fine white tips that make nails look clean and expensive, is also having a resurgence.

Another traditional style enjoying a fresh burst of popularity is the full nude, with manicures that feature short, healthy nails coated in shades such as O.P.I’s Bubble Bath ($21).

For some artful interpretations, or for just a pristine, clean manicure, try Miss Fox in Melbourne and The Parlour Room in Sydney.

Ask Steph

What is the best way to file your nails?
Go slowly. Start from one of the outside corners of your nail and file towards the centre, then repeat on the other side. Never file back and forth across the entire tip as this can damage the nail.

Follow Stephanie Darling on Instagram @mrssdarling. Send questions to [e-mail].

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